Gran Turismo 5 (PS3) is the KING of the racing games!
I pre-ordered it as soon as I got word that it was going to be released. The wait was pretty agonizing yet I was patient. I looked for new information as the release dates kept changing. Was it worth the wait? yes and no.
I say yes because the graphics are A W E S O M E! the selection of cars is M I N D B L O W I N G (although some of them I'll probably never use), but I do have a few of them added to my favorites and the soundtrack is C O O L (and I say this because I love classical and jazz music). The tracks are about the same they just look better. I enjoyed the familiarity of them (like visiting an old friend). I also like the fact that you can earn money (like in previous GT games) and save up to buy that high-powered car that captures your interest. The weather and day/night effects are spectacular too.
I say no because the menu system is just messed up (push R1 to zoom? okay) and there just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of motivation other than finishing a particular series and winning the same trophy over and over and over again. A little variety there wouldn't have hurt. I also detest the license tests (always have) and it's no different here. The B-Spec mode is interesting, but it can get frustrating as the driver doesn't seem to want to win a race rather the driver will be content with finishing last or close to it.
It's my favorite racing game series (ever since Ridge Racer dropped the ball with RR7) and it's like I said: Worth Playing. I haven't been online with the game and I'm sure if that's your thing you might want to check it out.